Christmas Campfire
by mybrowneyes
Summary: Ranger searches for special way to show his love for Stephanie. This was my entry in the 'Jingle All The Way' Contest. A little OOC.


The characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I am just borrowing. The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Campfire Christmas**

Ranger sat at his desk looking blankly at his computer screen, the contract laying there was untouched. Ella just hung a wreath on his office door with a big plaid bow. Rangeman was alive with Christmas spirit this year. His other offices decorated year after year, but here in Trenton it was minimal at best. A wreath on the outer lobby door 'welcomed' anyone off the street and a small tree in the corner were about the only signs of the holiday season in years past. He, the owner of his security company, didn't celebrate Christmas, really. His housekeeper chose presents for his family when he visited for the Cuban holiday feast so he had gifts in his hands. That was his extent of the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

It was different this year. He, Carlos Manoso, was different and that was because he was in love for the first time in his almost thirty years. Looking back, the year began disastrously for him. The Government called and he went off on a mission of the unknown. He had been injured before, but not anything like he experienced this time. Ranger flexed the fingers on his left hand that once had been paralyzed along with the lower section of his leg and foot. Those were long, frustrating months of recovery, but he had a 'Babe' in his corner. A blue-eyed physical therapist named Stephanie. She was his third, actually, and an angel. The first two he chased out of his apartment after only a few therapy sessions. But, Stephanie was like no other woman he met. She had attitude and gave it right back when Ranger needed a kick in the ass. His 'shaking in your boots' presence that affected employees, criminals, or just about anyone who came too close to his personal space, but the bad ass aura never phased Stephanie. It did scare her she did reveal to him on a date, but she ignored it in their early therapy sessions. Her hands shook later when she drove out of his company building going to her next appointment or back to the medical practice where her office was located. Luckily for Ranger she stuck with him and broke down the soldier walls he built around himself from his years of government missions helping to heal and regain the feeling in the parts of his limbs that didn't feel. Including his heart.

Physically, Ranger was stronger than before his last mission, if that was possible due to his strict diet and workout schedule. Now he added something 'new' to his person, happiness.

He was in love with his former physical therapist, now girlfriend Stephanie Plum.

They spent the weekend Christmas shopping and decorating her house where Ranger Manoso now lived with her two therapy dogs, two therapy cats, and hamster, Rex. He picked out a present for each of his Cuban family members with her help this year and participating in the Rangeman grab bag. He had his cousin Lester.

She had grown up in a area of Trenton called 'the Burg' or Chambersburg where most young female residents married and started families before the honeymoon was over. She didn't want that much to her mother's dismay, but chose college majoring in Physical Therapy. After graduating, she began working with injured soldiers. A Philadelphia based physician witnessed a therapy session of hers at Walter Reed working with a group of injured soldiers. The men and women in the group were laughing though their exercises, some limitations, and pain with Stephanie and her two dogs running thru the circle they formed.

Fascinated by the physical therapy session he watched, Dr. Sheffield learned the dogs, Bella and Zuma, helped break down barriers the hospital patients built up and before any patients realized were moving arms and legs even if confined to a wheelchair. Having discovered Stephanie was originally from Trenton, and the doctor and his partner were expanding their practice across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Dr. Sheffield offered Stephanie a position as lead physical therapist. She accepted after long and creative negotiations to come home. One being Ranger learned the doctor paid for a medical assistant program for Stephanie's mother, who believed she won a scholarship for it. Ellen Plum wanted to be a nurse, but being a wife and mother came first for a woman growing up in 'the Burg'. If Stephanie moved back and her mother was occupied with her nursing job, then she wasn't trying to marry off her younger daughter. Once completing her nursing program, Ellen Plum was hired part-time working at the 'For Your Health' walk-in clinic. She loved it and Stephanie lived her life without her mother's interference. Problem solved.

Stephanie bought a house near the Delaware River in historic Burlington when she moved back with her pack of therapy animals and hamster, put together a physical therapy team, and established a program with the local animal shelter training homeless pets to be therapy companions to veterans. Carlos Manoso was one of her grateful patients.

Not only missing Trenton, Stephanie has a lively spirit of a grandmother she missed. Edna Mazur was the top reason to come home. No one was aware, Edna had a friend she met at a BINGO convention from the opposite side of New Jersey named Rosa Sanchez. She was Carlos Manoso's Cuban grandmother or Abuela and a frequent guest staying in the studio apartment at Stephanie's house which Edna Mazur resided part-time. Through their friendship,

Rosa recommended Stephanie to Rangeman's Company medic. Bobby was in touch with

Ranger's commander who pulled a few strings to get the Cuban man a slot in her full schedule. The security expert was never so glad for his Abuela's grandmotherly interference in his life.

So here sat at his desk with a Christmas problem, he had a sapphire and diamond necklace and matching bracelet wrapped for Stephanie, but he wanted something else to give her. He just hadn't figured it out yet. How did he show his love for her? Stumped, he could not believe he was pulling up Stephanie's go-to website, Pinterest. She scoured it for recipes to try on him and decorating ideas. He hoped none of his employees saw him on this website, particularly his best friend, Tank, because he would never hear the end of it. He could hear his bellowing laugh in his mind.

He hadn't scanned many images on his computer screen when he found his something special.

Picking up a pen, he sketched a rough image on a blank contract page and jotted down items he needed to purchase. Satisfied with the adjustments he made on the paper, he folded it and slipped it in the pocket of his leather jacket. Keys in hand and logging off Pinterest, Ranger Manoso had some Christmas shopping to do and no time to waste. The contract could wait.

Ranger worked quietly at his mission at hand stopping a few times to review his progress.

Stephanie's vintage camping trailer was now a vintage Christmas camper in her backyard he moved from behind her garage to under the large pine tree. He tested the lights which outlined the frame outside. All glowed as did the small pine tree by the door. He locked the door and turned off his gift until he surprised her. Ranger considered it a job well done considering vintage wasn't his mode of decorating or his style, but Stephanie loved her refurbished camper. And Ranger did enjoy their weekends away.

This week before Christmas, Stephanie had been extremely busy working with the shelter's dog trainers to ready the therapy dogs for their new homes with rehabilitating soldiers and their families. She fell asleep on his shoulder last night watching TV from her early, early mornings

and hectic days leading up to their Christmas Eve day deliveries.

He was coming down the stairs when her key was turning in the front door. They were living in her brick riverfront home in Burlington and Edna Mazur lived part-time in the summer kitchen converted to a studio apartment in the large backyard.

"Hi," Stephanie greeted as her dogs came running in the door.

"Babe," Ranger replied taking her in his arms kissing her lips.

"That's a nice welcome. Are you sure you want to spend Christmas Eve with my family? Grandma and Mom have been cooking and baking for days and my sister will be there with my nieces. It will be crazy."

Never blinking. "I can handle it. Just wait for a Cuban Christmas dinner tomorrow with my brother, sisters, and a whole bunch of Cubans with gifts. That's insanity."

She giggled at the image in her head. Stephanie had been to Manoso cook-outs and dinner before, but she was meeting her boyfriend's sister and her family from Miami and some aunts and uncles tomorrow. Aida and Juan Manoso have driven to Burlington, bypassing their son's company in Trenton, for dinner with their youngest son and his girlfriend. They surprised him staying overnight in one of her extra bedrooms and not in the waiting apartment in his building because they just loved Stephanie and his mother could shop with her in the local shops in the historic town. What a fun weekend!

"I'll let your dogs out so you can go get ready. I have a surprise for later so no peeking in the backyard," Ranger ordered with another kiss backing Stephanie under the mistletoe

"What did you do?"

"It's a surprise for later. Please."

"A surprise?" Stephanie's face lit up and her blue eyes were wide full of excitement like a child at Christmas. "What is it?"

He turned her with little effort towards the steps to go upstairs. "A surprise! Go get ready. The sooner we get to your parents' house, the sooner we get back here."

"Well, for a surprise!" Running up the stairs, her sweatshirt was going over her curls.

Once in her bedroom, she couldn't resist pulling back the drape to look in her backyard. It was getting dark. "Damn it!" She couldn't see much even with a few lights on in the back. But, a dark image stood out. There was a huge tarp hanging from the pine tree blocking something behind it which had to be her surprise.

"That man!" she yelled stomping off to her shower.

Her mother was miffed her younger daughter was putting her coat on going out the door before her sister Valerie and her family to prepare for Santa Claus after dinner. Stephanie wanted to know what was hiding in her backyard.

Ranger had to laugh when she said to hurry his drive back to her house.

"Sit here until I'm ready,"Ranger said steering his girlfriend from going out the backdoor having just come in the front. "Patience, Babe." He kissed her so her toes tingled. "Just a few minutes."

Laughing, Stephanie was fidgeting and tapping her boot on the hardwood floor like an anxious child as he was unlocking her French doors. He loved her all the more.

"I want to see!" Stephanie grumbled being led through her house to the backyard with her eyes blindfolded by a scarf. "You're impossible!" The air was cool as they moved onto her deck and her blindfold was removed. She called out scurrying off the deck following the luminaria in the new fallen snow and lanterns hanging on her fence to light her way. "Oh, I love you!"

Bella and Zuma were running with her towards her vintage trailer lit in lights, a small Christmas tree in matching white lights twinkling, and a campfire. A Christmas campfire. Chairs were by it waiting for inhabitants. "It's beautiful."

"You wished you could get away after this long, hectic week."

"You gave me a backyard getaway. I love you!" Stephanie jumped in Ranger's arms kissing him.

"Want to see inside?"

"There's more?"

"Babe."

He opened the door of the white and yellow vintage camper holding Stephanie's hand as she stepped up and stopped. There was a lantern lit on the small stove and flameless candles all around the small space. The bed was covered in a black and white checked comforter with Christmas motif pillows across it. On a small storage bin, a small pink tinsel Christmas tree with worn glass ornaments was perched sparkling. 'J-O-Y' was strung above the dining booth. There were retro holiday postcards on the refrigerator. The table was set for two with the pink dishes Stephanie kept stored away with the aged Santa Claus figure she saw in one of the neighborhood shops. It was Christmas retro style and she loved it.

"It's a little pink in here." Those were the exact words Ranger spoke when he first saw Stephanie's little vintage trailer she purchased while working at Walter Reed. Some co-workers belonged to camping club which she joined after buying her old camper for some 'glamping' on weekends away. She toned down the pink decor the first time Ranger went camping with her and her dogs. Tank laughed himself silly seeing the little camper hitched to his bad ass black truck driving away. And, he admitted to having an enjoyable weekend 'glamping' with some her old co-workers.

"Babe, for you anything."

Her eyes were misty "This is so sweet. You gave me a vintage Christmas getaway in pink!"

Turning around, they were eye level with Ranger on the step. "I love this and you." She leaned in kissing her boyfriend. "Oh my God, I love you so much more!"

She spied on a shelf graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars. "S'mores!"

Stephanie made Ranger laugh. "I can buy your love with chocolate. There's a hit to my ego."

"You have my heart, Carlos Manoso."

"Good to know, Babe."

He opened the small door checking the fire as Zuma and Bella jumped down while Stephanie gathered her treasures and Ranger grabbed mugs, blankets, and a thermos.

"This is perfect," Stephanie said between bites of her gooey treat looking up at the stars and snowflakes dancing in the cool air. They were warm by the fire, hot mulled cider, and thick blankets.

"In the refrigerator, there's a frittata Ella made for breakfast."

"We're sleeping out here?"

"Yes, I decorated in pink." His color was black head to toe most days.

"I feel special."

He raised her sticky fingers to his lips. "You are, Stephanie. You worked tirelessly over these couple of weeks so injured soldiers and their families have a happy Christmas and shelter dogs have new homes. You never let me give up when I was recovering from my injuries. Because of you, Stephanie, I have my life back and it is so much better because you are in it. I love you and I want you to know that."

"I do, Carlos. I do. I love my campfire Christmas."

They stood wrapped in each other kissing by the fire's glow and lights. It was a perfect way to spend Christmas Eve and tomorrow after dinner at his parents' house, Ranger knew he and Stephanie they would be back right here by the campfire for Christmas. There was no other place they wanted to be.

 **The End**


End file.
